


take me as i am

by georgiehensley



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Coming Out, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, M/M, Post-Movie(s), Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-17 20:58:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9344138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/georgiehensley/pseuds/georgiehensley
Summary: or, the one where illya and napoleon have to share a room to change for a mission and illya comes out in the process.





	

**Author's Note:**

> the idea of illya being trans really hit me at random. i guess i mostly thought about how interesting it would be for a man of his size and personality to actually be trans, but it could work. there are some scenes i could go back to for evidence.
> 
> anyway, i saw no fics on here with trans!illya, so i decided to write one of my own. don't be surprised if more follow. ;)

changing in front of your partner is something that shouldn't happen on missions, but when you have the limited amount of space and time that illya and napoleon do, well, things happen.

illya can feel his hands shaking as he reaches to undo the buttons of his top. he glances over his shoulder, feeling lucky that napoleon doesn't seem to be paying any attention to him, and lets himself begin to undress.

“whoa, who shot you in the chest?” 

illya freezes, straightening just as he gets his hands on the top he's about to change into. the comment should be taken lightly, brushed off as nothing more than sarcasm, or genuine concern over a friend's injury, but illya can't let it go that easily. he bites down on his bottom lip, not daring to turn around and let napoleon see what the fabric is really for.

“it's nothing you should be concerned about,” he says simply, trying to keep his voice even. “finish getting dressed, cowboy.”

“no, it's definitely something.” napoleon says, and god, illya so wishes he were working alone at this very moment. “turn around.” despite still shaking, illya figures that there's nothing else he can do now but oblige. and so, he turns around.

napoleon appears expressionless, which illya doesn't like. he just wants him to say something, but the american appears at a loss for words.

“well?” illya asks a moment later, arms crossed over his chest out of both instinct and impatience.

“i-i don't understand.” napoleon says at last. illya couldn't have expected any other response.

“i am a man,” illya says, to put it in simple terms. “but i wasn't born that way.”

“oh,” is all napoleon says. “so, you…?” his gaze flickers south. illya sighs.

“yes,” he says.

“oh,” napoleon says again, nodding slightly. illya sighs.

“are you telling anyone about this?” he can't help but ask. 

“no,” napoleon says. “not unless you give me permission to.” 

“good,” illya says with a nod of his own, and the two return to their previous activities. 

it’s only when they're about to leave, a car waiting outside their safe house to bring them to their destination, that napoleon brings the subject up again.

“how did you get your voice so low?” he asks, purely out of curiosity. illya can't help but smile in amusement.

“lots of practice,” he says. “and maybe some steroids.” napoleon's eyebrows go up at that, and illya lets out a laugh. “i’m kidding. the, er, women in my family all have fairly deep voices, it's genetic. i just worked to get mine a bit more… masculine.” 

“oh,” napoleon says. “sorry if my last question is a bit more personal, but, do you still…? are you still attracted to…?”

“women?” illya finishes for him. napoleon nods. illya sighs. “between you and me, i was never a big fan in the first place.” and with that, he heads to the car, leaving napoleon to stand and wonder if there was a hidden meaning behind illya’s words.


End file.
